Tag: Pride

What a beautiful story about finding love after a horrible tragedy. The two main characters, Damon Blackwell and Enzo Moretti, both have lost so much and the guilt and emptiness that surrounds them every day of their life is enormous.

Fate steps in and places these two beautiful men in the same place, at the same time, and what they learn from one another is life-changing. Not only do they have each other to lean on, these two “straight” men fall hard. The author handles that with patience and trust and awe, but the outcome is still incredibly hot!

Riley Hart does an outstanding job showing what happens to family in the aftermath and how it’s possible to find clarity and get to a better place when the right person is there to guide you.

Enzo and Damon’s story, individually, is equally heartbreaking. These two are simply perfect for one another. Five stars for me!

Gino and Benny’s story is heart wrenching—some of the most beautiful ones are though. If I had to pick certain sections or quotes throughout their story, I’d be highlighting the whole book. It’s just THAT good.

After being bounced around the foster system as a kid, Gino does whatever he needs to make his way in life. Gino is stunningly gorgeous but constantly makes the wrong choices when it comes to trusting the right people. Gino has love and sex completely confused. This poor guy thinks by screwing around with so many guys, hopefully one of them will like him and want to stick around. He acts like he’s the happiest guy on earth when inside he’s dying.

~ I ended the call, Benny pleading with me to talk to him. With the pillow rolled under my head, I closed my eyes, hoping I wouldn’t wake up. ~ Gino

My heart completely shattered and it was torture to watch Gino’s path of self-destruction.

Benny is the sweetest and kindest man, but life has also been cruel to him. He takes care of his sister to make sure she’s safe from their wretched stepfather while Benny’s at work. His lack of confidence and self-esteem casts shadows over him every day, but after being bullied, abused, and knocked down his whole life, how could it not?

Benny loves Gino. It physically hurt my heart to feel his love for Gino and how he simply couldn’t express himself. The two of them are so beat up and damaged by their past that they still carry it on their shoulders every day. No one should have to take on such despair.

Felice Stevens is the queen of angst and hopelessness and the power of love. Her readers can’t help but to fall madly in love with her characters as we watch them through voyeur’s eyes suffer, flounder, or are completely at sea when it comes to helping
themselves. The best part, though, every single time, is not only how they navigate their way to a better life, one they truly deserve, but who helps them get there.

Fortunately for Benny and Gino, some of Felice’s intelligent and caring and persuasive characters have thrown them their life preservers to save them and help them find their way.

Jeremy Strauss (Perfect) is the owner of Hard Core Fitness and their boss. He is the most vital influence and support system for Benny and Gino. Jeremy is selfless in his daily attempts to mentor and make the two believe that they matter and they’re so much more if they’d just believe in themselves. He’s also smart enough to know when professional help is needed and suggests they seek out his brother’s help.

Noah Strauss (One Call Away) is Jeremy’s brother, a former model, and a psychologist with his own radio talk show who understands first hand what Gino is going through having been a victim while in the modeling business himself. He’s kind, approachable, and never fails the two with the words of advice he offers. When Benny needs legal counsel, Noah offers the law practice of his husband, Oren.

Oren Leavitt (One Call Away) and Ash Davis (A Walk Through Fire) omg … yes, Ash people—take on Benny’s custody case involving his sister. When Ash opens up about his brutal past in the foster care system, it knocks the wind out of Gino.

My point here is that these men and their experiences throughout each of their lives have several common denominators in some way with Gino or Benny. They have helped Gino and Benny find their happily ever after because they all know themselves the hell they went through to get to heaven. This is magnificent world building within Felice Stevens’ books.

I swear that every new release is better than the last, but in reality, that’s just not true. All of them are equal treasures. Grab a box of tissues and a bottle of wine, then treat yourself to another Felice Stevens’ masterpiece. Five stars aren’t enough.

When twenty-four year old Eddie Taylor joins cruise liner, the MV Dreamcatcher as a dancer, he thought traveling and performing would be the highlight of his life. He never imagined the Dreamcatcher would lead him to hook his fantasy man.

Silver fox, Captain Will Preston, doesn’t date crew members. It doesn’t set a good example for the captain to be bed swapping, but instant attraction has him rethinking his rule for the spunky dancer. Sparks fly and chemistry sizzles in paradise. But Will wants more. Is Eddie his dream catch?

Movement in the shadows had me pausing. I didn’t think anyone would come down here so long after the show finished. My shift had just ended—I’d been dancing in the performance then the nightclub and I needed to wind down. This was my time, my chance to dance the way I loved best rather than the moves we pulled in the shows. The choreography was hot as hell, but pole dancing was my passion.

I paused the music and called out, “Who’s there?” I cursed myself for letting the tinge of anxiety I felt show. My heart thudded in my chest while I waited for the answer.

“I…I am,” the person answered. It was a man, his Australian accent a deep rumble, and I inwardly moaned. Damn. That accent. An Australian accent got me every time, and the hesitancy in his voice, like he didn’t know if he was in the right place even though he worked on board, was kind of cute.

I was hot and sweaty and I desperately needed the water I had stashed in my bag in the change rooms, but he’d piqued my curiosity. I stepped forward, trying to coax shy boy out. “You wanna step into the light so I can see you, rather than standing in the dark like a creeper?” I was teasing him, but his voice drew me to him and I stepped forward.

The man who came into the light was not at all what I was expecting—he was so much…more. Wearing a smirk and clothes that looked like they’d been tailored to fit him despite being deceptively casual, he was the picture of style. Broad shouldered with thick biceps and forearms, rounded pecs and a flat stomach that tapered down to slim hips, he was an Adonis. Mussed up blond hair and rich chocolate brown eyes, with a chiseled jaw and a perfect nose completing the package. He was beautiful enough to model for any fitness magazine, and lust spiked through me. Fuck me, he is gorgeous. He was tall, so tall I had to look up into his eyes that were piercing yet warm at the same time. I was in trouble. Big, big trouble. I hated to say I had a type because our differences were what made us all amazing, but let’s be real, I had a type. And the man in front of me ticked every. Single. Box.

I was checking him out and not being subtle about it. Who the hell could when this sexy slab of man-meat was standing in front of them? When he shivered, my eyes instinctively snapped to his. Did he do it because of my inspection? Was he feeling the same insane lusty connection I was? He licked his lips and I nearly pounced on him. I was using all my restraint to stop myself from climbing him like a jungle gym, but I couldn’t help the growl that escaped from me. “What’s your name?” he rasped, his voice all dark and sexy.

“Eddie.” My voice came out a lot quieter than normal, but it had the desired effect; he leaned in closer and I smirked. Clearing my throat softly, I added, “My, my, my, aren’t you a handsome one? And what might your name be?”

“Will,” he responded immediately and I smiled at the name. It suited him. Clean cut like a William but he was loose enough not to introduce himself with his full name. I’d only been on the ship since the day before, but he was the sort of person I wouldn’t forget, and now that he was here…

“And what are you doing down here, Will? You lost or are you looking for little ol’ me?” I smirked and checked him out again, this time dropping my gaze straight to his crotch. He had a nice bulge, the length of his shaft clearly outlined in the shorts he wore. Either he was going commando, or he had loose boxer shorts on because there was no way that snake was being contained by anything. I licked my lips, imagining what it’d be like to drop to my knees right here and now and taste him. Sue me, I like sex.

“I, ah…” He shifted his weight and I noticed for the first time he was carrying something–a suit bag, a duffel bag and a hat. And not just any hat, the same hat that the executive staff wore. Will, executive staff? No, it can’t be. My eyes shot to his and I knew. I just knew it.

HOSTED BY: Enticing Journey

By day Ann Grech lives the corporate world and can be found sitting behind a desk typing away at reports and papers or lecturing to a room full of students. She graduated with a PhD in 2016 and is now an over-qualified nerd. Glasses, briefcase, high heels and a pencil skirt, she’s got the librarian look nailed too. If only they knew! She swears like a sailor, so that’s got to be a hint. The other one was “the look” from her tattoo artist when she told him that she wanted her kids initials “B” and “J” tattooed on her foot. It took a second to register that it might be a bad idea.

She’s never entirely fit in and loves escaping into a book—whether it’s reading or writing one. But she’s found her tribe now and loves her MM book world family. She dislikes cooking, but loves eating, can’t figure out technology, but is addicted to it, and her guilty pleasure is Byron Bay Cookies. Oh and shoes. And lingerie. And maybe handbags too. Well, if we’re being honest, we’d probably have to add her library too given the state of her credit card every month (what can she say, she’s a bookworm at heart)!

Would marrying his best friend to get his hands on a quaint, small-town bookstore really be that bad?

Declan never expected to ask himself that question, but when an inheritance from a distant great uncle offers him the chance at a brand new start in a brand new town—with the catch that he has to marry before he can have it—he’s forced to consider it.

Ash has been Declan’s best friend since college, and he’s the only person Declan can trust to help him. Getting him to agree to marry him is one thing, but dealing with the way it changes their relationship is something else entirely.

New surroundings leave Declan confused by how he really feels about Ash, the freedom of Hope Springs awakening something in him that he hadn’t known was there before. Ash is happy to help him out, but what started out as a simple question soon becomes something much more…

Something New is the first book in a new series set in Hope Springs! It stands alone, has a HEA, and does not end with a cliffhanger. However, it does contain: a room full of second-hand books, a ridiculous will condition, cheating at video games, explicit sex scenes, and doughnuts.

Love love love

There isn’t a book of Sean Ashcroft’s that I don’t love! And … there’s never EVER enough times to go back and visit Hope Springs, the happiest, gayest, rainbow flag flying, friendliest, bestest (yes, bestest!) place on earth!!!!

Best friends since they met in college, Ash and Declan head to Hope Springs after Declan gets an odd letter from the lawyer of his recently deceased Great Uncle Marv to take over the ownership of the bookstore in town. One teeny little stipulation … he needs to be married for thirty days to keep it all legit … Hmmm … Who will be the lucky … groom? Wait, Declan is totally straight! Oh, no, he isn’t!!! No one in Sean Ashcroft’s world is “totally” straight, and that’s just fine with me!!!!!

We get to visit so many of our friends from the happiest place in the world like Charlie, Marcus, Lexi, Scott … squeeeee …!

Does Declan feel like more than friends to Ash??? C’mon! You know the answer to that! The best part about Sean’s books are that all of his characters are genuine—intelligent and compassionate with a perfect amount of sass!!!

If I ever need to make myself immediately feel fabulous from a bad day … or not a bad day … I automatically find myself immersed in one of Sean Ashcroft’s books! Such a joy ~ always!! Five shining stars!!

You’ve been rocked by The Rock Gods and now it’s time to meet the men who have their backs in the spin-off series: Guarding The Gods. The stories in this series will give you a glimpse at what goes into protecting two world class rock bands while they perform around the globe. I hope you’ll continue this journey with me, as I give you a backstage pass to another side of the music world in which the players work hard and they love even harder.

Ann Lister is a native New Englander currently living on the island of Martha’s Vineyard with her husband. She has pulled details from her years living in the New England area and uses many local settings and landmarks in her novels.

After graduating art school, marrying, and raising two daughters, she established her own video production company. Her nearly two decades working in video production included work within the music industry and won her a coveted Telly Award. Her ‘behind-the-scenes’ exposure to the music world and her love of rock music is the inspiration for her erotic rock star romances.

The Rock Gods series gave her Bestselling Author status on Amazon. Beyond The Music, Book 7 in the series, hit #1 in the Gay Erotica genre during the Pre-Order and held that spot for several weeks. This last book in The Rock Gods series launches the spin-off series, Guarding The Gods, which releases in early Summer of 2016.

Fall For Me, Book One in the series was a Finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Award. Each book in this series brings her two favorite elements together: musicians and the love between two men. These stories focus on what it truly means to love; love unconditionally, love without restrictions or labels, love without fear or judgment – to just simply love.